What Happens To Ham Radio If The Grid Goes Down?

[@stephanhersey1186]

If mounting a vertical to an RV with a ladder the best way is with a mirror mount bracket. Be sure to ground the aluminum ladder to the frame of the vehicle with some braided ground strap. Do love your videos. Steve, k7ofg

[@lyfandeth]

If the internet is down but repeaters are up, you set the WIDE parameter to the max, and it will keep being forwarded. In fact this was a problem, and Bob B. himself kept telling people to knock down their WIDE settings because the internet gateways could take the traffic, but the radio repeaters could only handle a small slice if it. (Limited repeats.) So, if the grid and net go down, know what your APRS settings mean!

[@thuff3207]

I use FlagPole buddy to hold my MaxGain mast for my buddipole or yagi. You mount them on the latter and it hold the mast.

[@LifeAtTerminalVelocity]

Tanks' questions is GOLD. I love it.

[@ny4i]

Glad to see you coming around Mike :) To address why use the APRS packet rather than just talk on a repeater: with APRS your packets can be sent via RF from mountaintop digipeater to mountaintop digipeater. That would get farther than hitting a local voice repeater (assuming there is a local voice repeater). This all assumes a robust APRS infrastructure (all RF-based) which many States in the US already have. To put this all another way, as with most things in ham radio, there is a reason we do the things we do. No matter what mode someone uses, its reasonable to assume there is some value in it even if we do not have the experience or interest in that mode to see it. Keep up the great video production. 73, de NY4I

[@hamradiotube]

Oh I'm def not coming around :) I still maintain my position on APRS. And would it be more efficient?? It's still FM. And then you're assuming a robust APRS infrastructure, which in my experience, doesn't really exist in the sticks. Where I live. But I appreciate your feedback. Perhaps this is the hill I will die on lol!

[@PaulGriffith]

iGates connect you to the internet, but digipeaters connect you via radio, like the one on the ISS. I just found out about the Appalachian Trail Golden Packet event in July, real-time messages along the 2190+ miles of the trail. Sounds like fun.

[@chrissewell1608]

Never heard of that. Sounds cool!

[@greg5929]

Nice idea for RV solution. But where, what do you call those green poles? Also, what material are they, carbon fibre or aluminum or other? Plus link for the "plate", please. Good show.....73

[@BenjaminHeyser]

Today was a rough day, but hearing K8MRD support APRS turned it around.

[@AndrewWells527]

Personally, I find Winlink more valuable than APRS in a disaster scenario. In your TX grid down situation, you could have hit ANY Winlink station outside your disaster area and relayed email communication to any other friend/family member, licensed ham radio operator or not.

[@ChrisRomp]

I agree with you on preferring WinLink, with the caveat that APRS can broadcast info over the local area without a gateway.

[@PrebleStreetRecords]

Depends on the scale of the disaster, but absolutely. However, take a look into SMSGTE for APRS, and static routing along digipeaters. People are way more likely to use SMS in an emergency than email, and it's pretty seamless for bi-directional communication. And with static routing, you can listen for which digipeaters in your area are unaffected by the disaster, and manually plot a path to an iGate. Or, look into HF APRS, which would behave similarly to Winlink. I just wish Winlink had a persistent whitelist for incoming messages. I want to put family members' email addresses on my receive list and not have to think about them still being there in an emergency. I've been meaning to write a Winlink script to re-up the whitelist every few weeks.

[@EvanK2EJT]

@@PrebleStreetRecords SMSGTE has been shut down for a while now. It sucks that it is, but unfortunately that's the case.

[@texasfrontiersman8245]

For the r v, use a piece of1.5" aluminum L angle, a couple of u bolts to bolt the L angle to the ladder under a step, drill a hole through the L angle. Mount your atas that's what I did.

[@abileneaugie8961]

I was able to APRS packet the ISS from my driveway with 5 watts from my FT5D and a SignalStick omni. It was a 3 min window for contact. The ISS is moving at 17150 miles per hour ground speed 250 miles up and at the 31 degree angle my radio said the packet from the ISS was 6328 miles away. I got the confirming ding dong sound and confirmed online as well. It was fun. I sent my request for a QSL card noting mode as APRS and noted the particular frequency and Time etc. Is it useful for every day?….. no. Will I do it again? Probably…. The hobby has experimentation as a key facet and APRS certainly fits into that category.

[@boulderingbadger6179]

Noob question here: If SHTF does you system work without any radio towers or repeater towers getting electricity? So a guy at home with a battery and a radio can still get a good enough reach to use it during emergency similar to a cell phone what would you expect in range?

[@abileneaugie8961]

@@boulderingbadger6179it depends. Some repeater sites are on backup power or generator power.

[@billryland6199]

When the grid goes down, HF will be the primary means of communications. I have large batteries charged by solar panels. PSk31 etc. will be the best modes.

[@hamradiotube]

And the noise floor will be so low too!

[@EI2WRC]

Yes it certainly will.

[@smoberdeen]

TNK-177 sounds like a grid square used on 11m when DXing on 27.0250 (a.k.a. Super Bowl), or LSB 27.3550, LSB 27.3750, or LSB 27.3850. The chicken channel users will understand this as your initials and the last 3 digits of your zip code. 🙂

[@AVNickP]

The pole that mounts to an RV ladder is called a Flagpole Buddy

[@unwin42]

I think the RV ladder pole holder you're thinking of is the "FlagPole Buddy"

[@scotreece5795]

Excellent job with your videos and explanation on why amateur radios

[@chrissewell1608]

Why what? 😢

[@marshred]

8 weeks of Grid Down for us after Hurricane Laura!

[@mattbermudez2876]

“Settle down boys and girl” 😂

[@Dennis_856]

I was in there in the grid down episode too. How did you remember it was 2003? lol

[@hamradiotube]

Google

[@HenryKD0RTZ]

I have a question, but don't remember the email you want us to use. Could you, please, always post it in the videos like these?😁

[@JeffCowan]

I have been on summits doing SOTA where cell service wasn't available to spot but APRS was. 🤷‍♂

[@hamradiotube]

And I've been in national parks where neither were available. I still maintain APRS is but a toy.

[@michaelko4ehb578]

Mike, another great video. So... When are you starting your 2nd channel? Need a K8MRD watch channel. The watch on your arm looks really nice (Invicta?). And I've seen you wear high end G Shocks in the past. Wait, on second thought, my wallet probably can't handle another hobby. Cheers and 73!

[@hamradiotube]

I actually have 2 other channels that I do nothing with lol! Yes the watch is an Invicta. Not an expensive one but after Fossil couldn't fix my favorite watch and 3 replacements later, I had to move on. Fossil used to make really nice watches too. Not any more. As for that G-Shock, that's a $17 watch from Amazon I got to tide me over hoping Fossil could fix my watch.

[@solarnewbee7868]

hustler antennas have a 3 ham stick mount with a single coax

[@meola69420]

APRS will slowly gain traction, look at how prevalent Starlink internet is becoming, and then there is their Swarm IoT technology that would be AMAZING for remote digital repeaters. We have a huge trunked repeater system on the Island I live on, covers pretty much the entire thing. A lot of the more remote repeaters run batteries and solar as it is now, to keep the power draw low on them, they have it setup, so you have to turn the backbone on much like using an autopatch or echolink. Add Swarm IoT and you could probably easily have fully functional digital modes and maybe even DMR use, all in time. That's me spitballing with future tech though, take it with a grain of salt, I use HTs mostly for local repeater use and I will honestly admit I still use a UV5R because it works and if I lose it, meh!

[@hamradiotube]

APRS already has traction. Way before starlink. I just think it's pointless when there are so many other better and easier forms of communication. DMR doesn't need the internet either so sure you could have DMR repeaters too. But come on, who wants to program DMR radios? Especially if the grid just went down. UV-5R for life though!

[@HamAround23]

Aprs is agonizingly slow on my ftm-300d. It has bluetooth capability but they wont let you connect a bluetooth keyboard. Tbh im a ssb hf guy most of the time

[@benwilliams8596]

EME people work grids and ft8 was first made for moon bounce

[@Aimsport-video]

No POTA spots... so Armageddon.

[@hamradiotube]

Exactly

[@judodadeo1933]

"Skyhooks" was the name of a skateboard attachment in the 80's.

[@don_n5skt]

I still am not fond of APRS. Not until there is something other than a keyboard based on a 1998 Nokia Cell phone. I refused to do SMS then and I haven't changed my mind. Why not allow a Bluetooth keyboard? Oh, that would be too easy.

[@Timi7007]

Meshtastic is trying to change that. It's not ham radio, uses ISM and is encrypted, but there are forks moving it down from 915/868 to 433 without encryption as a ham service. MeshCom is such a version currently in development.

[@hamradiotube]

Hang on Don, that Nokia keyboard was way better than the FT5's keyboard.

[@don_n5skt]

@@hamradiotube You are right about that but the layout is similar. At least on the Nokia, the keys were right on the phone and not behind 2 menu items ;)

[@KS0JD]

Somehow I think you are a closet APRS fan! 73

[@hamradiotube]

lol

[@denelson83]

But RR73 is a grid square.

[@hamradiotube]

Ah yes it is.

[@ChrisRomp]

That would confuse me. Might confuse the software, too.

[@denelson83]

@@ChrisRomp Which is why I would suggest "TU73" instead.

[@DonzLockz]

Geez, APRS FTW🏆😂

[@lieutenantcolonelnicholson9228]

cw is King! CWOPS do it!

[@hamradiotube]

eeehhh, not so much anymore. The digital modes are way more efficient and can decode well below the noise floor.

[@lieutenantcolonelnicholson9228]

@@hamradiotube Try it. cw wins!

[@chrissewell1608]

Why wouldn't you go to the Vatican? Its beautiful! I am not a Catholic but really enjoyed touring the smallest country in the world.

[@ke8wlw]

Need that kp49 grid.

[@hamradiotube]

I'll head out now!

[@ke8wlw]

@@hamradiotube 🤣 that's where my friend uno is from. La4yua kirknese norway

[@Photoeye65]

Mike, I figure you are about 140 miles from me..... N1JWW

[@anonymous_friend]

I hear mic preamp clipping. Let's back her down 😂

[@Philip-KA4KOE]

No doubt about it....a nuke-generated EMP is a prelude to the missiles coming in no later than 30 minutes later. Then it is time to hunt those last few parks assuming your electronics weren't fried. I mean....why NOT??? A lot of us are going to die anyway and those that don't will be transformed into atomically-mutated-monster geeks; right out of a bad 1950's black and white film. Just kidding!!!

[@503Nick]

Walk that APRS negativity back

[@hamradiotube]

No

[@captdaveclearedtoland8876]

Where is your cat??????

[@hamradiotube]

Enjoying the luxury of his king size bed.

[@goatk5wtx696]

I'm early